The term smoked salmon socialist is a political term that originated in the United Kingdom. It is often used to criticize individuals who identify as anarchists, communists, socialists, or liberals but lead luxurious upper-class lifestyles that seemingly conflict with their political beliefs. This term is closely related to the concept of the liberal elite.
United Kingdom
In the UK, the term has been used by left-wing commentators to criticize centrist views. For example, the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, has been labeled a smoked salmon socialist who betrayed the Labour movement due to his lavish lifestyle and association with high society. Critics argue that his luxurious lifestyle had a corrupting influence that led to the downfall of the Labour Government in 193
The term has also been used to describe supporters of the New Labour movement, which brought Tony Blair to power in 199It implies that these individuals espouse leftist views while enjoying a luxurious lifestyle, often stereotypically associated with living in Inner London and consuming highbrow media.
Notable figures, such as the writer and Labour supporter John Mortimer, have responded to being labeled as smoked salmon socialists by embracing the term in a self-deprecating manner. Mortimer preferred to be thought of as a bollinger bolshevik, referencing his taste for the high-quality champagne brand.
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia and New Zealand, a similar term, chardonnay socialist, is used. Chardonnay, being seen as a drink of affluent people, became associated with those who supported middle-class welfare and government funding for the arts, free tertiary education, and public broadcasting.
United States
In the United States, the term has been used in a lighthearted manner by the magazine Current Affairs. They argue that conspicuous consumption is not inherently antithetical to leftist values as long as luxuries are shared equally. They humorously state that when they say let them eat cake, they are serious about providing good cake for everyone, similar to Marie Antoinette's alleged statement. The magazine's argument is that the issue lies in the unequal distribution of luxuries, rather than the luxuries themselves.
More recently, the term champagne socialist has been used to criticize socialist figureheads like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and political commentator Hasan Piker. Critics argue that these individuals advocate for increased taxes and government intervention while supposedly living luxurious lifestyles.
The term smoked salmon socialist is similar to other political terms used in different countries and languages. In the United States, terms like limousine liberal, learjet liberal, or hollywood liberal are used to describe individuals who advocate for liberal causes but lead privileged lifestyles. In other languages, terms like izquierda caviar in Spanish, esquerda caviar in Portuguese, gauche caviar in French, and salonsozialist in German convey similar meanings.
In conclusion, smoked salmon socialist is a political term used to criticize individuals who espouse leftist views while enjoying a luxurious lifestyle. It originated in the United Kingdom but has also been used in other countries. While the term may be used as a fallacious argument by some, it highlights the perceived hypocrisy of individuals who advocate for social equality while benefiting from a privileged position.
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